1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to multilayer laminate materials having an anti-static character and suitable for protective apparel applications, as well as to a method for making such multilayer laminate materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protective apparel is utilized in a wide variety of applications for protection of the body against environmental contaminants and conditions, including protection from toxins and other materials which are deleterious or undesirable in contact with, or exposure to, the body.
In a number of application areas, it is required that the protective apparel articles have anti-static characteristics, in order to be safely employed for their intended purpose. Examples include spray painting assembly lines, laboratories, and the like, where volatile, flammable, or combustible materials are present in the work environment, and may be ignited by discharges of static charge which is built up in the bodies of workers in such environments. Thus, in order to preclude or at least minimize the possibility of fire and/or explosion in circumstances where volatile solvents, combustible anesthetic gases and the like, are present, which are latently susceptible to ignition from static discharges, the protective apparel desirably is fabricated of a material which is anti-static in character.
Unfortunately, however, most materials used to fabricate protective apparel, such as natural and synthetic woven and non-woven materials, and polymeric sheet and film materials, have a significant susceptibility to static charge build-up in use.
In the field of protective apparel, much effort is focused on developing improved protective garments which cover the body of the wearer and afford protection against liquid penetration, as a "splash barrier" in instances where liquids of a toxic or hazardous character are being handled, where liquid clean-up is required, and/or where protection from liquid contact with the body of the garment wearer is reqired. A variety of laminated materials have come into usage for such protective apparel applications. In these applications, the body side layer of the laminate may be a non-woven or other fibrous material web having good textural or "hand" characteristics, while the external layer(s) may comprise polymeric films to impart liquid penetration resistance to the overall material. As indicated above, these fibrous web and polymeric film(s) component materials are highly susceptible to static charge build-up. Such susceptibility is a major problem in garment articles formed from laminates of these materials, and this problem has not been satisfactorily solved.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multilayer laminate material which is suitable for use in applications such as the fabrication of protective garments and apparel items, and which has a high level of resistance to static charge build-up.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of making a multilayer laminate of such type.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.